Tag: National Defense

Opinion

Democracy versus Thugocracy

NATO countries are confronting Russia in Ukraine after years of rampage against Democracy by Putin and his oligarchs. Putin seems driven to undermine democratic governments wherever he can based on his track record. Attacks using dark money, social media, and cyber have been breakthrough tools weaponized by the Putin syndicate. Putin has subdued Russia over the last decade plus, and moved on to external targets including the United States. Ukrainians have rightly claimed that their fight is the fight of all freedom-loving people and history proves them correct. Murders in Europe to intimidate dissidents, sneaky invasions to add territory to Russia, Propaganda, Racism, and support for criminal/far-right politicians (Assad in Syria, Orban in Hungary, Trump in the US, for example). America dodged a bullet when we elected Joe Biden and defeated Trump who wanted to walk in Putin’s authoritarian footsteps. Trump and his January 6 conspirators must still be held accountable before we can move on to strengthen our Republic; but Ukrainians are in the same fight. The fight against lying thugs who want to create a world in their own image and a hell for decent people.

Opinion

Trump is Putin’s partner in American flank of Ukraine threat?

The Russian leader and his oligarch henchmen currently menacing Ukraine and NATO’s eastern border are counting on a weakened United States and Western Europe. Putin’s primary tools in weakening his foes are cyber warfare, white supremacist fascism, and propaganda spread by right wing mass and social media. The Russians know America is divided and that they have allies who openly champion the cause of the oligarchs under the cover of racism and grievance. We don’t know who the new oligarchs will be in America, or if they are already members of the club. We have a lot of evidence of strange behavior by people in power who seem not to care about democracy or truth. Every American should make themselves aware of clear and present dangers that have factual basis. Conspiracy theories can typically not be proven, but we have evidence piling up of internal and external threats to freedom and democracy. Act and vote to defend your rights and freedoms.

Opinion

Payback

President Biden recently made it real clear that the US has a variety of tools and leverage to use against it’s enemies. On August 27, 2021 the US military showed the capability to attack and destroy bad actors who are enemies of the republic. The next move for the US government is to track down and hold accountable those who seek to undermine and destroy our way of life at home. The insurrectionists who attacked the Capitol, and those who sent them, must be dealt with in the near future with clear determined consequences. The Republican partisans who seek to steal the civil rights of citizens must be defeated and shown the error of their ways. The only way we can reach the potential of our republic is to tap into the wisdom of the crowd, and empower all of our citizens. Trump and his cronies must be held as accountable as ISIS. or any other threat to the republic. Payback should be just and transparent; so that any persons who want to believe lies are obvious, and have no place to hide from the truth.

Opinion

Haiti in crisis gives us a chance to be good neighbors.

The Haitian president was assassinated last night and we don’t know what that will mean for the USA and our interests. An unstable Haiti usually means desperate people trying to reach the United States rather than face imminent death for themselves or family. Haiti has been victimized by a racist western world from the beginning of it’s nationhood when soon after a successful slave revolt they began to pay reparations to the French. We don’t know if the Haitian negotiator who accepted reparations was paid under the table by the French, but Haiti has been an impoverished nation from it’s beginning. The United States should send resources to Haiti including advisors and security forces with orders to help Haiti reach specific goals in set timelines. Any Americans sent to assist should have a specific agreed mission and leave upon completion. We should go there to help the Haitian people and leave when we are done with our stated objectives. America should use this opportunity to help Haiti and other nations in our hemisphere as a way to help neighbors help themselves. If we are good neighbors we will occupy a nice home in a good neighborhood.

Opinion

Asymmetric warfare

The United States has been hit with several types of asymmetric warfare in recent years from Russia. Russia has meddled in our politics with varying effect in 2016 and 2020 (and likely other elections). Many knowledgeable people claim that the asymmetric attacks have included useful idiot American citizens acting in the interest of Russia (Giuliani and Trump are the most known names). Now Colonial Pipeline which supplies most of the fuel to the east coast has been hacked by a Russian criminal group that does not attack within their own country. What is the difference between a Russian criminal organization and their intelligence agencies? America is in the crosshairs of ongoing attacks that are enjoying increasing success. Educate yourself and demand that your representatives do not cooperate with any enemy attack, and hold Russia accountable for damage to our country and it’s interests.

Opinion

More evidence of Trump campaign working with Russia

Recent reports from US intelligence agencies say that Konstantinos Kilimnik was a Russian agent who received information from Paul Manafort that helped Russia interfere in the 2016 election. Due to the polarization of our media and politics some Americans are outraged that a former president and his campaign collaborated with a foreign attack; others (typically Republicans) will pretend it never happened while lying about people they don’t like. Foreign attacks on our country will continue and escalate as long as we are too busy fighting each other to deal with outsiders. I hope we can become a nation where politicians cannot hide from the truth by going on Fox or other right-wing outlets and lying. Let’s pray that American reverence for the truth will return and we can build a greater future for ourselves on solid ground.

Opinion

Healthcare is part of national defense

The US does not have a healthcare system that is available to every citizen. The US has a healthcare marketplace that creates huge gaps of underserved people as the COVID19 pandemic has shown. We still don’t know how the pandemic developed. Was it man-made, or a typical animal to human transference? Scientist are still working to discover the origins of the pandemic and to stay ahead of variants. The United States has emerged as a weak player in handling infectious disease because of our lack of a system with equal access and protection for all citizens. An enemy could attack the US with a virus that morphs while remaining virulent. That enemy could watch the wealthy get protected through social distancing, work from home, and access to quality healthcare. The poor would be hit hard early and spread the disease which could then morph to overcome the advantages of the wealthy. Our economy and military would be rapidly overwhelmed because we have not systematically monitored and responded to threats like COVID19. America must build a first rate healthcare system that includes public health, and universal access, because the survival of the nation depends on it.